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Reclaiming Empowerment, by Bente Hansen

(Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.)

Recently I spoke with someone whose son has been diagnosed with ADHD. This young boy was prescribed medication, which he took regularly. One day he shared, with his father, his dark feelings about many things. The medication had helped calm his hyperactivity, yet the boy was experiencing extreme thoughts and emotions with which he was uncomfortable. When his parents took him back to the doctor, requesting that he be taken off his medication, the doctor referred the boy to a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist spent some time assessing the young boy and then told his parents that he was concerned for the boy's mental and emotional welfare and recommended an additional medication. At this stage both parents reclaimed their empowerment and said, "No."

Reclaiming empowerment is not always easy, especially when confronted by authoritative figures. Yet now, more than ever, is the time when it is most appropriate and necessary for us to do so.

What exactly does reclaiming empowerment mean? According to the Oxford Dictionary, "empower" means "give power to." Given our hectic lifestyles and preference for using thinking to resolve life issues we, as a society, have lost touch with our inner knowing. When reclaiming empowerment we are merely tapping into an amazing powerhouse of inner knowledge and guidance. We have always been powerful—we have merely forgotten just how powerful we are. When listening to the wisdom of the inner knowing we step aside from the mental gymnastics of the mind and reconnect with our inner guidance system!

Our society is organized and structured in such a way that we continually give our power to people who are specialists in their particular field. We trust and accept the diagnoses of medical experts, the technical advice of computer technicians, the legal advice of attorneys and so on. While it is perfectly acceptable to trust the expert knowledge of those who have trained in their respective fields it has often resulted in an inability to access our inherent innermost knowing. This is especially true when this inner knowing, or intuition, relates to matters of individual choice and freedom. All too often when confronted by the voice of perceived authority it is easier to comply than to question.

Why is now the time to reclaim empowerment? We are living in a time of constant change. Many formerly accepted "truths" have been found to be untrue. For example, for years we were told that it was perfectly safe for menopausal women to take Hormone Replacement Therapy. We now know better! Given the constant change and uncertainty in our world ultimately we have no option but to be responsible for our own wellness and wellbeing. This reclaiming is definitely a process; it involves becoming aware of, listening to and responding to the inner knowing, or voice of wisdom.

Ghandi stated, "The outward freedom that we shall attain will only be in exact proportion to the inward freedom to which we may have grown at a given moment. And if this is a correct view of freedom, our chief energy must be concentrated on achieving reform from within".

It is possible in every day situations to become more mindful of the intuitive inner voice. It means stepping out of the mind (or ego) and following our "gut instinct" or intuitive hunch. In most people something either feels right or not right for them. This feeling is often found within the body, especially in the solar plexus, heart or stomach area. The more we listen to this inner voice and follow its guidance the easier life becomes! When doing this we are in a process of reclaiming empowerment.

Indications of disempowerment are evident when an individual has mainly feelings of futility, frustration, anger, resentment, judgment, irritation, depression, guilt, etc. Life feels tough, it's a battlefield out there!

Symptoms of empowerment include feeling calm, peaceful, having acceptance, being joyful, compassionate, being in the flow, etc. Basically there is a feeling of being balanced, or centered.

In reality, it's normal to experience a mix of emotions on a daily basis. Where there is a predominance of the emotions associated with disempowerment (as above) then it would be beneficial to explore possibilities and strategies for reclaiming empowerment.

Basically, our emotions are an indication of where we stand in terms of empowerment. It is not our thinking that holds the key to this awareness, it is our emotions!

In my book, The New World of Self Healing (Llewellyn, 2006), I describe many processes and strategies that will facilitate the process of reclaiming empowerment. Understanding energy is the underlying theme of this book. When we have understanding and acceptance that energy is the basis of life, that it is a powerfully creative force, which we utilize to create our reality, we are then able to manage and work with energy in ways never before imagined. Reclaiming empowerment occurs when we learn to consciously work with the subtle energies.

The benefits of reclaiming empowerment are obvious:

• We eventually become responsible for all choices and decisions we make.
• We become empowered to choose wellness over ill health. This does not mean we no longer listen to the advice given by people with specific skills. Reclaiming empowerment means we have the freedom to choose whether or not to accept that advice.
• We become empowered to choose abundance over scarcity, happiness instead of misery, etc
• We learn to honor the inner knowing, the intuitive wisdom and voice we can all access. This inner knowing is available to us at all times. Once accessed, understood and applied empowerment results in all areas of life!

The parents of the young boy I mentioned earlier are now in the process of exploring options for their son's wellbeing they would never have considered previously. They feel challenged and inspired to make decisions that are in alignment with not only their inner knowing, but are also consciously working for their son's highest good. Their actions clearly demonstrate the magic of reclaiming empowerment!

Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal. Copyright Llewellyn Worldwide, 2006. All rights reserved.

When meditating to open our minds to receive from God or our spirit guides, do we open up to evil spirits as well? Or do we have control over our minds during meditation? Thank you!

Chrissy

Dreamchaser:

This is an excellent question - I am so glad you asked it. Please note that my answer applies not only to meditation but also to all sorts of everyday experiences.

There are all kinds of beings around us all the time. Some people like to believe that there is a huge battle being waged between Light and Dark, Good and Evil - whatever you want to call it.

I like to envision a cloak of invisibility or some type of shield that doesn't allow anything dark to come near me. I believe in the core of my being that God/ the Universe/ Spirit/ whatever-name-you-prefer protects me at all times. I never have to question whether I am safe or not safe - I just know that I am protected.

You can make a similar pact with the Universe. Ask for constant protection, and then just trust that you are protected. I know that a lot of people may disagree with me on this, but what I believe and what I know beyond a shadow of a doubt is real in my life.

I know this from experience: Whatever we really believe is what is real for us. I know that I don't have time to constantly protect myself as I explore various spiritual paths in my life. I have to know that I am protected so I can focus on what I'm to do on each path.

If you want some type of reassurance, when you wake up in the morning, say something like, Spirit, please protect me from anything that does not come from Love and Light throughout this entire day. Use whatever words work for you and make you feel power-full. In this way, you will actively affirm that you are protected.

When we are in a meditative state, we have to know that Spirit protects us. Obviously, we're not actively controlling our minds, or we wouldn't truly be in a meditative state.

You could picture yourself with a bunch of armed sentries around you in a circle while you meditate. Then you would know that they are there to stop anything negative or harmful from coming into your meditative circle.

You can dress these guardians up however you want them to look, and make them be whatever you want them to be. They are YOUR guardians, and they will guard you regardless of how you make them look in your head. You could put them in tutus and they would still guard you well!

The Universe has beings whose job is to protect and watch over you. The higher you evolve spiritually, the more powerful your guardians will become. So you never have to fear any evil coming to get you, whether you're meditating, sleeping, eating or working.

I wish you faith in your soul's safety.

2475

Astrea:

My daughter-in-law is big into the idea of demonic possession. She's in a cult that believes possession can happen anytime and anywhere, so they pray daily for protection from The Evil One's terrible clutches.

It's very dramatic and draining, though I've been pretty entertained by some of their shenanigans - they actually speak in tongues and stuff! These people drum up excitement left and right because they have such empty lives otherwise.

To my knowledge, meditation is not something they advocate, nor is it a regular part of their practices. To people who feel this way, life just isn't as much fun without an exciting daily battle between Good and Evil.

While the fear that lurking evil entities want to enter your mind during meditation is romantic, it's a silly idea you've probably picked up from television or someone who wasn't well-informed. The only evil that can enter you at any time is what you imagine to be there. Otherwise, everything is good.

Someone who didn't know about meditation and didn't want you to get involved in it might suggest that Evil is constantly on the prowl for souls to deliver to Satan. People say untrue, discouraging things to others because they are jealous of their abilities or they fear what they don't understand. Banish those thoughts and voices from your mind - you are in control of everything your mind does.

Meditation is an extremely personal experience, and people report all manner of crazy things that they see, hear or feel while practicing. However, most people who start meditating never even consider that anything bad might happen, which makes me wonder if you're asking about this because you've had a bad experience already. If not, you'd be wise to examine why you're worried about something bad happening.

The only time evil entities can affect us is when we invite or welcome them in some way. Most spiritual practices (meditation included) offer various ways we can spiritually protect ourselves. If you're working with a meditation teacher, ask about this. If you're learning on your own, find ways to protect yourself so you don't tempt any bad guys with your fearful thoughts.

Reasonable caution will always prevent nasty surprises. Of course, if we welcome the Dark Side, that's what we'll get, but if we welcome the Light, we'll be filled with the Light. This all boils down to choices and consequences: choose the Light, and the Light will come.

If you ask for a positive experience before you begin to meditate, you should be just fine.

Astrea:

Many times in life we hear, "You will always have what you NEED, but not necessarily what you WANT." Your spirit must have needed to experience the feeling of leaving your human body, and the suggestion in the next chapter of Sylvia Brown's book was all it took to get you there.

Even though you hadn't read it yet, your SOUL recognized the title of that chapter as something it had been seeking, and your soul, knowing that you had that reference to read after your experience, got with it and out you went!

While I don't usually recommend her books, Sylvia Brown has a wide reaching and powerful effect on lots of people. A Gemini like you would be able to relate easily to her writing and put it to good use. Synchronicity - you gotta love it!

I like your description of "getting caught." That's exactly what it feels like, isn't it? One minute you're free and hovering above the room, and the next minute, ZAP! back down into your corporeal form you go!

As a little kid, I loved that "feeling of return." With practice, most of the time we can control that event, but sometimes, when our physical ears hear a distracting noise or something else occurs to knock us back into reality, back we go. With practice you will be able to control your return better.

I find it interesting that you were visiting your mother-in-law and not someone in your own genetic family. Evidently, you and your husband got married for reasons that are even deeper than love. His family's interest in "psychic stuff" will nurture your children in such matters and help them to grow into their own abilities.

You'll never have to be concerned that when your daughter visits them, she'll be discouraged from exploring her own psychic life and power. My parents encouraged me to develop my psychic senses in a time when it wasn't nice to even discuss such things in public. Heck, it's STILL not considered a great topic at the dinner table in some families!

Your kids will get to talk about it ALL and ask questions and read and study. This is going to give them such an edge in life! Talk with your husband about how you want to present this to your kiddos, so that you are united in your approach and ready to tell them their experiences are all natural and okay.

A word or two of warning: Geminis often have difficulty staying grounded in REAL LIFE. Don't get so strung out on your ASTRAL life that you neglect what you're doing here on Earth.

You are at the beginning of a long journey to learn where your power really lies. Try to be patient with this process and take your time.